The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nasarawa State University, Keffi, branch, has called on Governor Abdullahi Sule of the state to fulfil the commitments he made to the union in the recent past.
Dr Samuel Alu, the chairman of the union made this known at a news conference held at the university in Keffi Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
According to Alu, the union has on July 25, held a news conference and presented to the public the state of affairs of the university.
He explained that the conference prompted the state governor to make certain public commitments that were conveyed to the union in writing.
He said: “They are that starting from August 2022, the state government would take over full payment of salaries of the university staff.
“Second, the immediate release of N200 million out of the N1 billion owed the lecturers to pay part of outstanding Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) arrears.
“The state governor also pronounced the monthly payment of N20 million for mainstreaming of EAA.
“We, however, state categorically for the benefit of the public that till date, the governor has not fulfilled the commitments he made to us.
“Our members have not received any payments with respect to EAA arrears as well as mainstreaming of same.”
He called on well-meaning Nigerians within and outside the state to prevail on the governor to fulfil his promises.
Alu added that the branch also held a congress meeting on Nov. 10, where general challenges bedeviling the university were deliberated extensively.
“Some of the issues have lingered for more than 10 years and are still begging for resolution.
“These issues include the proper funding of the university, payment of arrears of EAA, mainstreaming of EAA into salaries of our members and excessive tax regime, among others.
“The persistent failure to address these issues, as it were, generated agitation for embarking on local industrial action by the branch.
“The planned local action was overridden by the national strike of the union that commenced on February 14,” he said.(NAN)
